Trunk-fastener



(No Model.) l

A A. V. ROMADKA.

TRUNK PASTENBR.

No. 282,780. Patented Aug. 7, 1883.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANTHONY V. ROMADKA, OF VAUW'ATOSA, VISCONSIN.

TRUNK-FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 282,780, dated .August '7, 1883.

Application filed May 25,1883. 4N() model.)

1o the tops of Jtrunks to trunk-bodies when the former are closed, in place of straps and buckles secured to the front of the top and body; and it consists in certain peculiarities of construction, as will be more fully set forth hereinafter, and pointed out' in the claim.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an inside view of my device in the locked position. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section thereof on the line x x of Fig. l. Fig. Sis an inside view 2o of the device in the unlocked position, and

Fig. tis an outside view of the/device locked.

My entire device vis made of five castings, and is operated wholly with out springs of any description.

2 5 A is the upper plate, cast with the perforated 3o der side of its bottom flange.

lugs a. a a to adapt it to be secured to the top of the trunk, and having th'e catch A/ a (which is L-shaped in cross-section, as shown in Fig. 2) projecting downward from the unplate, cast with perforated lugs or flanges b b, for attachment to the front of the trunk-body just under the plate A, and both these plates A and B are cast with exterior inward-projecting flanges, thatof the lower plate being cut away at b on top to receive the catch A ofthe upper plate, and at b2 at the lower part ofone side to afford room for the operation of the handle C of the lever C, whose inner end 4o is formed into a segment-head provided with 'the cogs c, and which is mounted on apivot, b5, projecting from the plate B. This plate has also cast thereon a guide, 5*, and another guide, B, from the center of which rises 1,5 another pivot, b3, in vertical line with-:the

pivot b5. A

D is the locking-plate, and this is provided with the central longitudinal slot, d2, which receives and moves upon the guide B3, while 5o its lower edge is formed into a rack-bar, with cogs or teeth d adapted to mesh with the teeth c on the segment-head of the lever C, and from B is the lower one end there rises an `inwardly-projecting flange, d, terminating inthe bolt D', adapted to rest above the lip a of the catch A when the device is in the locked position. The function of the guide b* is to prevent the adjacent end of the locking-plate D from dropping down should the guide B3 become somewhat worn by use, and thus it follows that the plate D will always move back and forth in a horizontal line in locking and unlocking my device.

In putting my device together in the manufacture thereof, the plate D is placed upon the guide B3, and the lever C is placed upon the pivot b5 with the cogs on the parts D and C in mesh, and then the covering-plate B2 is applied above them. ,f This plate has two holes which receive the pivots' b3 and b5, the ends of which pivots are next upset upon the said covering-plate, whose outer edge rises to ak level with the lower lugs, b, and iills in the space where the plate B was cut away at b2, thus permitting the handle C of the lever() to move freely between the outer wall of the plate B and the covering-plate B2. After this the plates A and B may be screwed or otherwise fastened to the front of the top and body of the trunk, respectively, preferably one at each side of the central trunk-lock, in place of the old-fashioned straps and buckles.

The operation of my device will be appar ent from the foregoing description of its construction. By simply moving the handle C of the lever C down, the catches will be instantly locked by the engagementof the parts A and D, or, vice versa, by moving the said handle up, the said parts will be at once released from engagement and theicatches unlocked.

. It is obvious that it is immaterial whetherV work equally well if the relativel positions of the two plates were reversed, so as to have the 'IOO bolt on the upper plate und the catch projecting from the loWer plate, und the details of construction may be mechanically varied within the limits of my claim without depart- Y 5 ing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A trunk-fastening consisting of two plates,

1o one provided With u stationary or rigid projecting catch and the other provided With u bolt forming part of :L slotted sliding plate moving upon a guide, and provided with teeth or projections, in combination With a toothed lever adapted to mesh with the teeth on the 15 bolt-plate and lock or unlock the catch by posi tive action independently of keys orsprings.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand on this 11th day of May, 1883, .in the presence of two Witnesses.

ANTHONY V. ROMADKA. Vitnesses:

l-I. G. UNDnRWooD, M. KAUMHEIMER. 

